Window latch



J. W. WEXLER WINDOW LATCH Nov. 1, 1955 Filed April 8, 1953 FIELE m Ymwzn w Mm J United States Patent WINDOW LATCH John W. Wexler, SilverSpring, Md.

Application April 8, 1953, Serial No. 347,459

3 Claims. (Cl. 292153) This invention relates to window latch devices,and more particularly, towindow latches of the sliding type.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved windowlatch device which is simple in construction, is easy to install, andwhich provides reliable securement of a window in either a fully closedor in a partly closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved window latchdevice which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is sturdy inconstruction and which is neat in appearance.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved windowlatch which may be employed to secure a window in either a fully closedor partly closed position, said latch being arranged so that it cannotbe shaken loose by vibrating or shaking the window from the outside, andcan only be unfastened from inside the window.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a fragmentary portion of awindow structure provided with a window sash locking device constructedin accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure1.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the window sash locking deviceshown in Figures 1 to 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view taken through theslide member of a modified form of window sash locking device accordingto the present invention.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but showing another modificationof the present invention.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 6, of the upper portionof the main detent element of a window sash locking device according tothe present invention, showing another modified form thereof.

The present invention is an improvement on the window latch disclosed inUnited States Patent No. 2,505,598 to John W. Wexler, issued April 25,1950.

Referring to the drawings, 11 designates a conventional window sashhaving a top sash member 12 and a bottom sash member 13. The sashmembers 12 and 13 are slidably received in conventional vertical guideways in the side members of the window frame.

Secured to the top meeting rail 15 of lower sash member 13 adjacent theside margin of the sash member, as by screws 16, 16, is a base member 17which is generally rectangular in shape and which is formed with theinturned side flanges 20, 20, defining lateral guide ways. Slidablymounted on base member 17 is the latch member 21, said latch memberhaving a rectangular main body 22 whose side edges are received underthe inturned flanges 20, 20, whereby the latch member is guided forlongitudinal movement on the base member 17.

At one end of the body 22 is the vertically projecting detent member 25having smoothly rounded, upwardly tapering side edges 26, 26. The detentmember 25 may be formed at its top end with a horizontal seat portion27, or, alternatively, with an arcuate notch 27', as shown in Figures 5,6 and 7.

The bottom corners 28, 28 of the detent member 25 extend laterallybeyond the side edges of the horizontal main body 22 of the latchmember, as is clearly shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6, whereby said cornersabut the ends of the inturned flanges 20, when the latch member isretracted from sash 12, to prevent the latch member from becomingdetached from base member 17 in normal use. The intermediate portion ofdetent member 25, in the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4,is formed with a substantially circular opening 29 having verticalopposed slot portions 30, 30 connecting therewith.

At the other end of the body 22 is a vertical lug 31 of a width smallenough to be received between the opposed edges of the guide flanges 20,20 when the latch member is assembled with the base member 17. Lug 31functions as a manual grip or handle for the latch member.

Designated at 40 is a further latch element which is pivotally connectedat 41 to a side marginal portion of the main detent member 25. The latchelement 40 is formed with a slot 42 opening at its bottom edge and beingsubstantially registrable with the circular aperture 29, as well as withthe vertical slot portions 30, 30. The latch element 40 is formed at theend of its bottom edge with the outwardly projecting finger tab 43 whichserves both as a means for manually rotating the latch element and as anadditional weighting means for biasing the latch element 40 downwardly.

Vertically aligned with the aperture 29 and screwed into the side stile32 of upper sash 12 are a plurality of headed screws 33, the lowermostscrew being positioned just above the level of seat 27 of the detentmember when the upper sash 12 is in its fully raised position withrespect to lower sash 13. The heads of screws 33 project outwardly fromthe stile 32 a distance slightly greater than the combined thickness ofdetent members 25 and 40, so that the head of a screw may overlap theouter surface of detent element 40 when the screw is received throughaperture 29 and slot 42, as shown in dotted view in Figure 2.

To lock the window in fully closed position, latch member 21 is pushedinwardly so that detent member 25 abuts the stile 32 and seat 27underlies the lowermost screw 33. Upper sash 12 may then be slightlylowered so that the head of said lowermost screw overlaps the outersurface of detent member 25 and the screw shank engages the seat 27. Tolock the window in a partly opened position, the detent member 25 isengaged with one of the screws 33 with the screw shank projectingthrough the aperture 29, the detent element 40 being then manuallyrotated to engage the slot 42 over the screw shank. The sash may then beslightly adjusted so that the screw shank is engaged in one of thevertical slot portions 30. If an attempt is made from the outside tofurther open the window by moving the sash up or down or by shaking thesash, the screw shank engages in one or the other of the slot portionsand the weighted detent element prevents the detent member 25 from beingshaken away from the screw head. Thus disengagement of the detent member25 from the screw by shaking the window sash from the outside iseiiectively prevented. To disengage the detent member, the screw headmust be centered in the circular opening 29 and the detent element 40must be manually lifted otf the screw. This can only be done from insidethe window.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, the vertical slot portions 30are omitted and only a circular aperture 29 is employed in the detentmember, shown at 25.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, a single vertical slotportion 30 is employed connecting with the circular aperture 29. Thisslot portion 30 may be below the aperture 29, as illustrated in Figure6. Alternatively, the single vertical slot portion may be above thecircular aperture 29, as illustrated in Figure 7.

It will be readily apparent that in any of the forms of the inventionabove described, the weighted pivoted detent element 40 engages theshank of the screw 33 at its slot 42 and serves as a safety catch toprevent the main detent member 25 from being disengaged from the screwwhen the window sash is shaken or moved up and down from the outside.The slot 42 is just wide enough to receive the screw shank, withsufficient play to allow the sash to be adjusted slightly so that theshank may engage in one of the vertical slot portions 30, in the case ofthe forms of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, 6 and 7.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved window latch devicehave been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understoodthat various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occurto those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that nolimitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a window latch device, a latch member comprising a base portionhaving a main detent element projecting upwardly from an end thereof,said main detent element being formed with an opening including avertical slot portion of lesser width than the maximum width of theopening, a further detent element freely pivoted to said main detentelement at its inside surface at a point spaced horizontally from saidopening and having a notch in its bottom edge registrable with saidopening and arranged in opposition to said vertical slot portion, and alocking seat on the top edge of said main detent element above saidopening.

2. In a window latch device, a latch member comprising a base portionhaving a main detent element projecting upwardly from an end thereof,said main detent element being formed with an opening including opposedvertical slot portions of lesser width than the maximum width of theopening, a further detent element freely pivoted to said main detentelement at its inside surface at a point spaced horizontally from saidopening and having a notch in its bottom edge registrable with saidopening and arranged in opposition to one of said vertical slotportions, and a locking seat on the top edge of said main detent elementabove said opening.

3. In a window latch device, a latch member comprising a base portionhaving a main detent element projecting upwardly from an end thereof,said main detent element being formed with an opening including opposedvertical slot portions of lesser width than the maximum width of theopening, and a further detent element freely pivoted to said main detentelement at its inside surface at a point spaced horizontally from saidopening and having a notch in its bottom edge registrable with saidopening and arranged in opposition to one of said vertical slotportions, said main detent element being formed with a notch on its topedge above said opening, defining a locking seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS919,750 Neumeister Apr. 27, 1909 1,471,609 Jorgensen Oct. 23, 19231,564,953 Gertsfeld Dec. 8, 1925 1,633,645 Molberg June 28, 19272,486,218 Snyder Oct. 25, 1949 2,505,598 Wexler Apr. 25, 1950 FOREIGNPATENTS 298,171 Italy June 30, 1932

